I switched my Citi Double Cash for a Custom Cash (although Citi discontinued it)

1️⃣ 150,000 Points Offer Ends Soon 🚨

⚠️ This is one of the last reminders for the best offer in this card's history: the elevated 150,000-point bonus ends on June 15th at 9:00 AM, EST. 

Not to be dramatic, but 150,000 points (minimum $1,500) on a card with so many benefits is simply excellent for anyone who wants to travel more and better, for a fraction of the cost. 

As a reminder, this card offers:

• Welcome bonus: 150,000 points (minimum $1,500 in cash or travel) which is about to end. The bonus will change starting 6/15/26. 

• Spend requirement: $6,000 in 3 months

• Annual travel credit: $300 automatically without the need to use the bank's portal. 

• Additional benefits: More than $1,500 in annual credits including $500 for hotels through the bank's portal, $300 at select restaurants, $300 in entertainment through StubHub, $120 on Lyft, $120 on Peloton, and more. 

• Annual fee: $795

💡 The annual fee is high, but the welcome bonus alone pays for it by far in the first year, and honestly, it is easy to justify for the following years. We have the business version and we can say we like the personal one even more.

Anyway, remember that if after 1-2 years it no longer works for you, you are under no obligation to keep the card. You can always downgrade or cancel (and it doesn't have to affect your credit). 

💳 The point of this news: 150,000 points are worth at least $1,500 in cash, but as we usually say, it can be much more if they are used strategically for travel. This may not be a lifetime card for everyone, but you can definitely get a lot of value out of it for at least 1-2 years, especially with this elevated bonus. Link to the offer here.

2️⃣ I swapped my Citi Double Cash for a Custom Cash (even though Citi discontinued it)

Last week we told you that Citi decided to abruptly and without warning discontinue its Custom Cash card, which is a shame because it was an excellent card with no annual fee.  

We felt some disappointment because we never got around to applying for it, and we lost that opportunity to get a 20,000 ThankYou points welcome bonus. Buuut, even without getting the bonus, we are still interested in having the card for that monthly 5x category.  

Well, it turns out that although the card was discontinued and cannot be applied for, it is still possible to do a product change if you have another card within the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem. 

So I decided (Andrea here) to convert my Citi Double Cash to a Custom Cash via chat from my Citi account and to my surprise, in less than 20 minutes the account had already been updated (how wonderful that I didn't even have to call). 

I barely used my Double Cash, but now I plan to give this Custom Cash more spotlight when we are in the United States and make the most of the 5x category. 

💡 If I eventually wanted the Double Cash again, I could apply for it again and get the welcome bonus once more since it has been more than 48 months since I first got it, so I had nothing to lose by making the change. 

💳 The point of this news: When doing a conversion or product change, we don't get the welcome bonus of the new card but there are several advantages: they don't run our credit, a new account is not added to our credit history, and the account number usually stays the same. We really only see the change in our account, and if it's convenient as in this case, it can be worth it. 

3️⃣ Delta Cards Add New Benefit

Delta and American Express announced new benefits for Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cardholders, without increasing annual fees. 

Members of the Gold, Platinum, and Reserve cards, both personal and business, will get a second free checked bag on domestic flights operated by Delta. As a reference, the previous benefit included one checked bag for both domestic and international flights, which in itself was considerably better than the offer from American Airlines and United, whose complimentary checked bag only applies to domestic flights.  

Considering that checking a bag costs $45 each way (and $55 for a second), if you fly at least a couple of times a year with Delta and you are one of those people who needs more than a carry-on, it can make a lot of sense to consider at least the Gold card which costs $150/year starting in the second year (the first year is free). 

Additionally, Gold and Gold Business cardholders will also get an annual credit of $120 a year for rideshare travel in the United States, distributed as $10 a month, starting on their first card anniversary. Basically, once you pay the first annual fee, you will be able to get this additional benefit. 

💳 If you are interested in applying for a Delta card to take advantage of these benefits, you can do so here. 

4️⃣ The system we use to travel with points every year (without spending $$$)

In a few days we are going on a trip through Europe for almost two weeks and although the trip itself excites us, we are more excited about the fact that we paid barely $627 out of pocket among flights, luxury hotels, trains, and more. 

How? Well, clearly, thanks to credit card points. 🤩 We have been traveling this way for 6 years now and there is no way we are turning back. 

We would have never stayed in hotels over $500 a night or flown in cabins over $3,000 if we hadn't learned the basics of this hobby.

We published a video on YouTube sharing our system in 5 simple and effective steps, which anyone can replicate. We are sharing it with you below! 

For the people who read us and live outside the United States: you can replicate this by getting an ITIN (Tax ID for foreigners). It is the only way that non-residents or US citizens can access the full US credit system. You can see more information on how to apply for an ITIN with one of our partners here. 

5️⃣ Current transfer bonuses👇

• Chase → 55% to Marriott (until 6/30)

• Citi → 30% to Preferred Hotels & Resorts (until 6/13)

• Citi → 25% to Wyndham (until 6/13)

• Citi → 30% to Qatar (until 6/30, on Qatar's side)

• Amex → 20% to Marriott (until 6/30)

• Amex → 25% to Flying Blue (until 6/30)